Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to toy vehicles, and in particular to a toy automobile which simulates both the appearance and performance of a hard top convertible.
A convertible is the term applied to an automobile whose top may be folded back, lowered or removed to expose the car interior. A hard top convertible is an automobile similar to a conventional convertible in that it also is lacking in vertical posts between the side windows, but it differs therefrom in having a rigid top of plastic or metal that in some models is fixed and in others is either lowered into a rear deck or demountable.
When playing with a toy vehicle, what is most gratifying to the player is a toy which not only simulates the appearance of a full-scale vehicle, but one which functions or performs in a similar manner. Thus a child who is given a toy dump truck which looks like the real thing but is incapable of dumping a load, may have little more than momentary interest in this toy. It is for this reason that most toy dump trucks on the market include a mechanism making it possible to swing up the rear cradle to dump a load contained therein; for a toy of this type has far greater play appeal than a dump truck lacking this capability.
By the same token, hard top convertibles are highly popular with adults; and children who play with miniature versions thereof are not satisfied with a toy that merely looks like a convertible, for it must also perform in a like fashion. In this regard, it is to be noted that in a modern full-scale convertible, such as that disclosed in the Rund U.S. Pat. No. 3,021,174, there is no need to manually raise or lower the top, for a hydraulic mechanism is provided for this purpose. In the Rund arrangement, the hard top is supported either in a raised position over the passenger compartment or in a retracted position in back of this compartment, the transfer being effected by a power cylinder.
With a view to satisfying the play requirements for a toy convertible, the 1934 Mohr U.S. Pat. No. 1,973,220 shows a toy convertible with a hinged top. However, no mechanism is provided to operate the top.
Of greatest prior art interest is the 1973 Glass et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,748,780 in which a toy vehicle propelled by spring motor is provided with a pivoted rear panel which, when open, exposes the driver. The mechanism for this purpose includes a pair of rigid rack strips which are linked to the rear panel and are driven by separate pinions coupled to the spring-wound motor.
An elaborate mechanism is provided in the Glass et al. patent to cause the wound motor to turn the pinions and thereby advances the racks to swing open the rear panel. When the pinions reach the smooth, tooth-free ends of the racks, they run freely thereon, and the motor is then caused by the mechanism to engage the drive wheels to propel the vehicle.